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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · plane · chip · key · hide · charge · jam · stock

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. club — for dancing
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. key — in music
  6. charge — in control
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chip — to eat
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stock — shares
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stock — goods
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. key — for a lock
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com